Fountain pen



" Nov. 23, i937. v K. Y. JOHANNEssoN 2,099,891

n SESS .l

/N vf/vTo/e ./(ari Y Jaafmessafz BY y m mw 5%\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ mm M 1- -Lw mN.. w r muffa w n 2., F my @awww Patented Nov. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 681,265. Divided and 1935, Serial No. 32,143

13 Claims.

This invention relates generally to fountain pens and has particular reference to pens of the sackless type, and is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 681,265, led July 20, 1933 for Fountain pen desk set, now Patent 2,011,639

granted August 20, 1935.

One object of the invention is the provision of a fountain pen which may be filled by forcing the ink into the reservoir.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a fountain pen which is so constructed as to allow air to leave the pen barrel under certain conditions, but in which the outer air is substantially prevented from entering the barrel.

A further object of the invention is ,the provision of a fountain pen adapted to be lled by ink under pressure which will permit escape of air, but prevent the escape of liquid.

A still further object of this invention is the n provision of a fountain pen adapted to be iilled by inl; under pressure whereby no vacuum is created above the ink in the barrel.

These and other objects will be apparent to One skilled in the art from a study of the following 5., description and accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the upper portion of a fountain pen showing one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modification thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View showing a still further modiiication;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to the preceding gures, but showing a still further modication;

Fig. 5 is a view of the pressure responsive valve of Fig. 2, the view being taken on line 5 5, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail of the Valve 40 shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the valve being in open position;

Fig. 'l is a sectional View taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional vieW taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

55 end closure member 4 bears against the vent this application July 19,

(Cl. 1Z0-48) member l0 to seal the latter With respect to the barrel. The stem 8 of the vent member I0 does not completely fill Ithe bore 6, but is formed to provide a space constituting a valve chamber 1 in which is positioned a valve I4 retained by spring 5 I8 to normally close the upper end of a bore i8 which extends through the vent member l0 and through a tube 2i) depending therefrom and provided at its lower end portion with a valve chamber 24 in which is seated a ball check valve 22 10 retained by a pin or other suitable means 26. Formed in the capmember 4 and extending from Valve chamber l to the atmosphere is an air duct 28.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 the upper portion of the barrel A is closed by means of a vent member in the form of a valve housing 3E which includes a base member 32 seated on a shoulder 34 formed in the barrel and clamped thereon by cap member 38. A cylindrical bushing 36 extends upwardly from the base member 32 and is arranged in a recess formed in the end closure or cap 38, and the bushing is formed to provide an air chamber 39, the upper end of which is closed by a valve 42 25 which is held in position by spring 44 placed in the Valve chamber 40. An air vent 46 leads through the cap and connects the valve chamber to the atmosphere. The valve housing 30 also includes a tube 48 which depends from the 30 base member 32 and has a portion enlarged to form a holding element 50 for a flexible and elastic diaphragm 52 which is adapted to close an air port or duct 54 leading from the longitudinal bore 56 in the lower portion of the tube. 35 The duct 54 is formed in the enlarged portion 50, which is also provided with a duct 58 which communicates with an air chamber 39 through the duct 60. 'Ihe length of tube 48 and the resilience of the diaphragm 52 are so chosen and 40 proportioned as to constitute a pressure responsive valve, the operation of which will be more fully described.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 7 operates in exactly ,the same manner as that; 45 shown in Fig. 2, but the parts have been arranged differently. In this form the barrel A is provided with an internal shoulder B2 which supports a multi-part Valve member C comprising a base member 64 from which a tube 66 of suit- 50 able length depends, the tube has a longitudinal bore 68 which communicates with an inclined axially extending bore 'i9 formed in the base member 64. A central depression 12 is formed in the upper portion of the base member and is .55

f termed spokes, thelatter being'connected by a in direct communication with the interior of the barrel through `a plurality of relatively large apertures 14. In effect the valve member 64 is substantially wheel-shaped in plan, depression 12 being formed in the hub portiony and the apertures .14 being dened between what may be rim seated on shoulder 62 of the barrel, and with thebore 10 extendingthrough one of the so-called spokes. The depression 12 is covered by an elastic diaphragm 16 covering the lower valve member B4 and the diaphragm is anged at 18, which,l

ilange is received in a recess Yin the rim of base member 64 and is held in place by ,the upper valve member 80. An air port 82 is providedfin the diaphragm to connect duct 10 and duct 84 fthe Y latter duct being formed in the upper valve member and having one'end in communication With recess 86 formed in the lower surface of the upper Y valve member and covered bythe before-mentioned diaphragm. The upper valvemember V vfill the cap recessrin order to provide a valve Vchamber 92 in which is Va valve 94 urged by spring .96 into Ysealing engagement with the upper end. of the bushing to close and seal the air chamber 89 against ingress of air. The chamber 89 is in communication with recess 86 through port 98, while valve chamber 921s vented to atmosphere by bore |00. Y

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 8 the barrel A supports at its upper end a vent member IDI which is .threadedly engaged Within a cap or end member |03 which is in turn threaded onto the barrel as shown at |05. The Vent member Il comprises a supporting portion |01 which restsV on the upperl end of the barrel A and is formed with la head |09 with which anl elastic diaphragm III, formedI of. rubber or the like, is grippingly engaged as shownY at I I3. Depending yfrom the supporting portion |91 of vent member IGI is an outer tube |I5 provided with a reduced lower end portion I |1, substantially nozzle-shaped and having a port.||9 therethrough which communicates with the interior or bore I2| of said tube. The bore |2| extends entirely through the vent member IDI and has an inner tube I 23 arranged therein, said innertube providing a longitudinal bore |39. 'I'he tube |23 at its upper end portion is of a diameter'such as to snugly fit within the bore I 2| whereby said inner tube Lis'rheld inV position as shown at |25, while the lower end portion of the tube |23 isreduced indiameterrand concentrically arranged within the outer tube ||5 whereby to provide an air space |4| between theinner and outer tubes as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The upper end portion |25 of the inner tube |23 is provided with aplurality of longitudinal air ports |21 therethrough which connect the air space 4| with the space between the diaphragm VI and the upper end portion of Ythe vent member I0|. VThe inner tube |23 is provided at its upper end portion with a tapered valve seatV |29 in which is .positioned a ball check Vvalve |3|V adaptedunde'r certain conditions to close a portV |33 formed in the diaphragm III and the cap I03'is provided with a recess. |35 in which the head |09 of vent member |0I, and the diaphragm are arranged. A duct |31 extends through the cap |03Vto the atmosphere to vent air from the recess |35.

. |3I. Ytheir normal position as shown Vin Fig. 4 Vthe ball 1 Each of the pens described are intended to be Y' lled by ink ,under pressure, the pressure being supplied by means such as disclosed in'Patent 2,011,639, granted August 20, 1935, Vand of which the present case is a division.

Assuming ink under pressure is supp-lied to the pen shown in Fig. 1, the ink vwill enter the barrel,

compressing the air above the inkA until suilicient Y pressure is reached to unseat the check valve I4 which Will permit escape of the Ytrapped air to kthe atmosphere through duct 23, following which the valve will reseat and the operation repeated V until such time Vas the ink within the barrel reaches the level of Vvalve 22. This valve 22 is buoyant and when the air reaches'the same it will rise and close the bore I8, thus preventing the egress of any further air and limiting the in- Y flow of ink. Further ink may ilow into the barrel by compressing the trappedair but this excess ink will be rejected upon removal ofrthe external pressure due to the expansion of the trapped air.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 as ink is forced into `the barrel the air tends to be compressed but,

since diaphragm 52 is normally in a position approximating that shown in Fig. 6, the air can Yescape through bores 56, 54, 58, 60, chamber 39, check valve 42 and bore 46 to the atmosphere.

. As soon as the inl: reaches the lower end of tube 48 it closes bore 55 and no more air can escape from the barrel, this causes the ink to rise in the bore 56, which rise will necessarily compress the trapped air, and since the rising column of ink forms but a small part ci the volume of chamber i 39 a diiierence of pressure is established on opposite sides of the diaphragm. lThe pressure of trapped air acting on the large areaof the diaphragm 52 will force it against the port 54 thus sealing this port and Vpreventing the escape of any ink from the pen. It is thus seen that a pressure controlled valve is provided which7 due to the unbalanced pressures arising when the ink closes the lower portion of the escape tube, will operate to Vprevent the egress of air or ink from the barrel. As soon as the pressure is removed from the pen the trapped airexpands and forces the excess ink out of the pen. e

vThe form shown in Fig. 3, as previously stated, operates by unbalanced pressures exactly as does that `form just described. In this form air can escape through bores 68, 10, port 82, bore 84, rece'ss, bore 98, chamber 89, check valve 94 and bore |00 to the atmosphere. The diaphragm 16 is thus, as was diaphragm 52, subjected to equal pressures onboth sides until such time as the ink closes the tube 65, at which time the air in the barrel will be compressed and acting on the lower Vside of the diaphragm will effectively seal the bore 84Vagainst escape of air or ink from the pen barrel. The application of further pressure tends to further compress the trapped air and still more effectively seal the escape port, which trapped air will expand upon removal of the external pressure and cause the excess ink to pass out of the pen, l"

In the form of the invention shown inFigs. 4 and 8 it can'be seen that normally the port I 33 in the diaphragm lII is closed by the ball valve It can also be seen that with the parts in valve |3| closes port |39 against escape Vof air therethrough. rI'heV specic arrangement shown in Fig. 8 provides three columns of air; Vone within the barrel A, another indicated/at I4| around inner tube `|23, and these Ycolumns are normally at a uniform pressure. This condition prevails as long as communication exists between them and the interior of the barrel at the lower end of tube |23 by means of the port or opening H9 in the nozzle portion H1 of tube H5. As ink enters the barrel A, the air in these three columns is compressed; the air in column |4| passing through ports |21. When sufficient pressure has developed beneath the diaphragm IH, the latter will be deflected to uncover port |33 to permit escape of air through said port to the atmosphere through vent |31. As long as the ink level re mains below the nozzle H1, the valve |3| will remain seated to close the upper end of bore |39. When, however, the ink reaches the lower end of the nozzle H1 as shown by the ink level indicated in dotted lines at |43, the lower end of the nozzle H'l is closed and air communication between the interior of the barrel A and the vent member is severed. Increase of ink in the barrel A to the level diagrammatically indicated by a broken line at |45 establishes three independent columns of air, the pressure of which will increase at the same ratio as ink continues to be forced into the barrel A. This increasing air pressure will become sufficient to deflect diaphragm HI to allow air to escape through' the port |33 from the column MI, causing the air pressure in the same to decrease and tlie ball valve |3| to be lifted from its seat |29 by the higher pressure in air column |39 to close port |33 in diaphragm H thereby preventing further air-escape. Immediately after the closing of port |33 by ball valve |3| the pressure of the air columns |39 and |4| again will increase due to ink being pressed into bores |39 and |2| by the higher pressure of the air above the ink in the barrel A outside of tube H5. It will be apparent, therefore, that the air pressure in columns |39 and |4| will retain the ball valve |3| in its elevated position closing port |33 in the deflected diaphragm. It is apparent that above described movements of diaphragm |H and valve |3| and changes in air pressures and ink levels will occur in immediate succession and in effect almost simultaneously. As the ink continues to be forced into the pen barrel the air above the ink becomes further compressed until a maximum quantity of ink has been admitted into the barrel. Expansion of the air within the barrel against the ink causes a reversal of flow of the ink out of the pen barrel until the ink level has receded to its normalwhich is somewhat below the nozzle H'|. The ball valve |3| will drop to its seat |29 and the diaphragm HI will assume its normal position as soon as the air pressure within the vent member |0| has dropped sufficiently due to the lowering of the' ink level in the pen and within the columns |39 and |4I.

From the description of the pens and the operation thereof it is seen that a pressure lled pen is provided which will be effectively filled to a certain level due to the escape of air, but cannot be filled and retain ink beyond this level after the pen has been removed from the source of filling pressure. It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the filling of the pen under pressure and the expansion of the trapped air tend to keep the passages at the writing tip free and unobstructed due to the flushing action of the ink under pressure.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the drawing and description are purely illustrative and are not intended to limit the invention, and that further modifications and improvements are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fountain pen having a barrel, an air vent member in the barrel, a hollow cap secured to the barrel and securing the air vent member in position, said air vent member including a stem having a bore therethrough leading to the interior of the cap, a valve normally closing said vent member against passage of air to the interior of the cap but operative to establish coinmunication between the barrel and cap upon increase in air pressure in the bore of the stem beyond a predetermined amount, a duct leading from the interior of the cap to the atmosphere, and valve means associated with the air vent member and operative in response to variations in level of the ink in the pen barrel to close said air vent member against passage of air ktherethrough.

2. In a fountain pen, a barrel having a recessed cap closing the upper end thereof, air vent means secured within the barrel by said cap and so formed as to provide an air chamber in its upper portion, a valve normally closing the air chamber, said vent means including air ducts in communication with the air chamber, a diaphragm associated with the air vent means in such a manner as to be deflected by air within the barrel when said air is at a pressure in excess of the air within the air ducts to close the air vent means and prevent passage of air to the air chamber.

3. In a fountain pen, a barrel, a cap closing one end of said barrel, air vent means in the barrel and secured by said cap, a duct in the cap for discharging air from the vent means outside the pen, a valve normally preventing escape of air .from the vent means to the duct but operative in response to air pressure beyond a predetermined amount to vent air to said duct, and a second valve associated with the vent means operative in response to variations in ink level in the pen to close said vent means against passage of air therethrough.

4. A fountain pen comprising a barrel, a cap closing the upper end of the barrel and provided with an internal valve chamber and a duct leading therefrom through the cap, air vent means within the barrel secured by the cap and through which air is expelled upon entrance of ink into the barrel, a valve in the valve chamber normally closing the vent means against escape of air to the valve chamber but operative upon increase in air pressure in the vent means to permit escape of air, said vent means being so formed and arranged as to receive ink when the latter reaches a predetermined level in the barrel whereby to prevent further escape of air from the barrel through the vent means and to control the admission of ink to the barrel.

5. In a fountain pen adapted to be filled by liquid under pressure, a liquid containing barrel, a cap closing the upper end of the barrel, a chamber within the cap having communication with the atmosphere, control means within the barrel comprising, valve means permitting escape of air from the barrel while preventing entrance of air to the barrel, and additional valve means operative upon the liquid reaching a predetermined level to prevent further escape of air, thereby checking the further entrance of liquid to the barrel.

6. In a fountain pen adapted to be filled by liquid under pressure, a liquid containing barrel,

Y control means Within the barrel adapted'to permit entrance of liquid into the barrel and the escape of airY from the barrel, at least a part of said means operating automatically to prevent entrance of air to the. barrel whereby a predetermined amount of liquid will be maintained Within the barrel. Y

7. In a fountain pen adapted ,toi be filled by liquid under pressure, a'lquid containing barrel,

control means within the barrel comprising, one

Y way valve means automatically operating to pre- Yso vent entrance of air to the VY.barrel while permitting escape of air from the barrel, and buoyant means actuated 'by the liquid to prevent further escape of air. v Y

8.V In a fountain pen adapted to be lled by liquid under pressure, a'liquid containing barrel, a cap, control means within the barrel and cap comprising, one -way valvemeans permitting the escape of air from the barrel, and diaphragm means responsive to unbalanced air pressures to -prevent vfurther escape of air through said valve means.

9. In a fountain pen adapted to be filled by liquid under pressure, a liquid containing barrel, a cap, control meanswithin the barrel and cap comprising, one way valve means permitting the escape of air from the barrel, and diaphragm means operative in response to unbalanced air pressure arising upon the liquid reaching a pre- `determined level to prevent further escape of liquid under pressure, a liquid containing barrel,

4a cap closing the upper end of the barrel and having an air vent therethrough, control means within the barrel comprising, valve means permitting escape of air from the barrel through the Y. *air vent While preventing'entrance of air to theY barrel, duct means Yextending lengthwisexof the barrel a predetermined distance, and additional valve means interposed in said duct normally permitting the iiow of air therethrough, said additional Valve means beingroperatve to close the duct upon the liquid level reaching the lowerend Aof said duct.

l2. In aV fountain penY adapted to be lled by liquid under pressure, a liquid containing barrel, a cap closing the upper end of the barrel and having an air vent therethrough, control means within the barrel comprising, valve means permitting escape of air from the barrel through Vthe air vent While preventing entra-nce of air to the barrel, duct means extending lengthwise of the barrel a predetermined distance, and a diaphragm valve interposed in said duct and normally permitting the ilow of air therethrough, said diaphragm valve deflecting to closeithe duct upon the, liquid level Vreaching the lower end of said duct.

13 In a Yfountain pen adapted toV be lled by liquid under pressurega liquid containing barrel, a cap closing the upper endY of the barrel and having an airvent therethrough, control means within the barrel comprising, valve means per mitting escape of air from the barrel throughrthe air vent While preventing entrance of air to the barrel, duct means extending lengthwise of the barrel a predetermined distanceand diaphragm valve means interposed intermediateV the' ends of said duct and normally permitting the flow of air therethrough, said diaphragm valve means Y@reflecting to close the duct upon establishment of unequal pressures due to the liquid level reaching the lower end of said duct. Y KARL Y. JOHANNESSON. 

